NATIONAL CURRICULUM

How many grades are there in the mandatory study program?

Elementary and Basic education covering I-IX grades is
mandatory.

How many children should be in the class?

In general educational institutions, the maximum number of
children in one group is 30. The exceptions are made in agreement with the
Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia. In which case, the maximum number
of children shall not exceed 35.

The maximum number of children for the first graders who will go
to school in 2014-2015 academic years and for each following generation was
defined as 25 pupils. The exceptions will be made on the basis of written
agreement with the Ministry of Education and Science, however, the maximum
number will not exceed 29.

What are the subjects, where the class can be split and what
should be the number of children in each division?

The classes can be split in the following subjects: Georgian
language and literature, foreign languages, IT and communication technologies,
provided that the school has relevant financial resources. In case of the
Georgian language and literature, the class shall be split only if the number
of children in each grade exceeds 25 and in foreign languages, if the number of
children is 18 or more.

What are the cases when the classes can be united?

The classes can be united in schools with a small number of
children. The number of children in each class shall not exceed 10. In such
cases, it is recommended to unite the classes within one grade but no more than
two groups. I-IV grades may be structured by various principles (e.g. I-II and
III-IV or I-III and II-IV). Several classes may be united in sports, music,
fine arts classes (e.g. I, II, III; IV,V and VI; VII, VIII and IX and etc.).

Is it mandatory for the head teacher to be teaching in his/her
class?

In accordance
with National Curriculum, all classes in the public school shall have a head
teacher who is the teacher of the same school. However, it is not mandatory for
the head teacher to be a subject teacher in the class under her/his management.

For what term is the chairman of subject department elected?

The chair is elected by the department for one academic year.
One and the same person can be elected three times at a row.

Do the private schools have right to teach school subjects with
a different scheme, including the foreign languages?

Private schools
are entitled to teach any subject envisaged in the National Curriculum with a
scheme which is different from the one set under the National Study Plan. At
the same time, the requirement of the article 40(4) of the National Study Plan
regarding tuition of foreign languages does not apply to private schools.
Respectively, the private schools do not need permission from the Ministry of
Education and Science for starting the foreign language from certain
grades.

Does the public school have right to start teaching the second
foreign language before the 5th grade?

The school is authorized, as an exception, in agreement with the
Ministry, start teaching the second foreign language from any grades. Herewith,
the school shall present to the Ministry the decisions and protocols of the
School Pedagogical Council and the Supervisory Board, parents’ application,
hourly net, the list of tuition resources and information about material and
human resources.

Is it mandatory for a pupil to fulfill all summarizing tasks?

National Study
Plan defines the minimum number of summarizing tasks to be conducted during the
quarter. The pupil shall be obliged to
fulfill all summarizing tasks conducted in the class (mandatory minimum defined
under the National Study Plan and additionally defined by the school (if any).
If the pupil fails to fulfill the task due to absence from school, the school
shall give the child opportunity to restore the summarizing tasks the child has
missed. The new deadline or form for
conducting the test shall be defined in accordance with the School Study Plan.

In what case the grade is regarded as passed?

The grade will
be deemed passed if the child’s annual score for each subject (rounded up) is
5.0 or more and the child has received credit in certain subjects defined by
the National Study Plan (sport, road signs and transport safety), after which,
the child is moved to the next grade.

In what cases, can the child pass extra exam if s/he has
non-attendance records?

If the child has not attended 30% or more of lessons allocated
for the basic-secondary stages during the year, the child shall be evaluated
for eligibility for the extra exam.

In what cases, the semester exam can be appointed?

The semester
exam is appointed only in cases where the child thinks that s/he deserved a
higher evaluation. The child’s parent/legal representative shall apply to the
school director with a written request to appoint a semester exam. The director
will review the issue and make decision about admitting or not admitting the
child to the semester exam. If the application is rejected, the decision shall
be justified.

If the child is
allowed to pass the semester exam, the school shall take all necessary measures
to ensure an objective and unbiased evaluation of the exam results.

The score for
the semester exam in the particular subject shall be calculated in this way:
semester exam score shall be added to the semester score of the subject and the
sum shall be divided by two. The semester exam is appointed in no later than
two weeks after the semester is over.

In what cases, the so called “autumn exam” is appointed?

If the child’s subject score for the academic year is less than
5, the school shall be obliged to appoint an autumn exam in this particular
subject. The rule and procedure for conducting such exam is defined by the
School Study Plan. The autumn exam shall be conducted no earlier than two weeks
after the end of the academic year and no earlier than one week before the
beginning of a new academic year. Before the autumn exam, the child shall be
given at least two weeks for preparing the subject. The child receives annual
evaluation in the subject/subjects based on the autumn exam results (the score
received in the autumn exam becomes an annual score in that particular
subject).

In what cases is the annual exam appointed?

The decision about appointing or not appointing the annual exam
is made by the school. The decision shall be reflected in the school study
plan. The school has right to appoint the exam to the class in no more than two
subjects in one academic year. At the same time, there should be minimum
two-year interval between the exams in one and the same subject (e.g. if the school appointed an exam in the
English language for the VII graders, the next exam shall be appointed only
after two years). The annual exam can be appointed only for the basic and/or
secondary stages. If the school intends to appoint an annual exam in the
subject, the decision regarding particular grade/grades and subject/subjects
shall be made before the beginning of the academic year. The school shall also
define whether the score received in this exam will affect the annual score of
the subject. If the school conducts annual exam, it shall be obliged to offer
contextual, complex and interesting tasks to the pupils (e.g. essay, report,
project, problem solution, fine arts template, etc.). If it is
defined under the School Study Plan that the score of the annual exam will
affect the annual score of the subject, while calculating the annual score for
the subject, the score of the annual exam shall be added to the semester scores
of the subject and the sum shall be divided by three.

In what cases the child can move to home learning regime?

The school
shall be obliged to move the child to the home learning mode if the child
requires more than one month medical treatment and this is confirmed by a duly
authorized medical certificate of the medical institution. In such case, the
child shall be released from the requirements of the paragraph 2 of this
article from the moment s/he is moved to home learning mode.

Children with special educational needs – in cases where the
child with special educational needs cannot attend the school due to a health
condition, the school shall apply to the multi-disciplinary team for the
conclusion, based on which, the child will be able to continue studies at home.
In this case, the child remains enrolled in the school but does not attend the
classes. The school shall develop a special study plan for the child, by which
the child will receive education at home conditions.

What scheme is used for teaching foreign languages?

Public schools:

The first foreign
language is taught in I-XII grades and it is English Language.

The second
foreign language (any language excluding English) is taught in V-XII grades

Third foreign
language as a subject of choice – X-XII grades.

The public
school shall be authorized, as an exception, to start the second foreign
language from any grades (including, the primary stage).

Private schools
plan the tuition-learning process at their own discretion, including the
foreign language studies. They are not required to agree the decision with the
Ministry of Education and Science.